Pure Indulgence

This pretty cup comes courtesy of star bartender Alexx Swainston. It's best prepared at least a couple of hours ahead of serving.

Drink tips Punches and cups, like any other cocktails, need to be made to taste. Fruits vary in sweetness, different brands of spirit have differing qualities and you may prefer your drinks sweeter, drier or stronger than we do as the situation demands. Treat this recipe as a guide, and bear in mind that as a rough rule, classic cocktails are typically made to a ratio of three parts strong drink to two parts acid, one part sweetness. Fresh lemon and lime juice, bitters and sugar syrup are good to keep on hand for last-minute adjustments. Keeping things cold is also essential. We've made large ice-cubes using cut-down clean milk and juice cartons. They work admirably and look pretty cool to boot. Get mixing.

Ingredients

½ cup strawberries, thickly sliced

½ cup cherries, pitted and halved

½ cup raspberries

100 ml Rémy Martin or other Cognac

100 gm caster sugar

2 750ml bottles of Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled (see note)

Method

Main

1

Gently simmer berries with Cognac, sugar and 1 cup water for 10 minutes, then chill.